Posting Title
Graduate (6-12 months) Power System Stability Analysis Intern
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Location
CO - Golden
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Position Type
Intern (Fixed Term)
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Hours Per Week
40
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Working at NLR
NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.
Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.
At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.
Job Description
We are seeking a talented and motivated Power System Stability Analysis Engineer to join our team in a cutting-edge project focused on the stability analysis of power systems with a high penetration of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs). As IBRs become increasingly prevalent, their integration into power grids presents unique challenges in grid stability, oscillation detection, and control. This project involves analyzing and interpreting real-time data from over 100 Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) installed across the system to identify grid disturbances, detect oscillations, and assess system strength.
Job Responsibilities include but may not be limited to:
- Analyzing PMU data (from more than 100 PMUs) to monitor power system stability and detect grid disturbances
- Create visualizations of grid strength and stability based on PMU Data such as heat maps of grid inertia, voltage profile, equivalent short circuit ratio etc.
- Develop techniques that will improve the resilience and reliability of future power grids, particularly in systems dominated by IBRs
- Produce detailed reports on oscillation detection, system strength assessment, and grid stability findings
- Provide recommendations for mitigating potential stability risks
- Collaborate with power system engineers, control experts, and software developers to refine system models, improve analysis techniques, and support operational decision-making
- Contribute towards technical documentation and the generation of research papers
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Basic Qualifications
Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution.
Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year.
Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.
Please Note:
• Applicants are responsible for uploading official or unofficial school transcripts, as part of the application process.
• If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
- Must have completed a bachelor’s degree and either be enrolled in or recently graduated from a master’s program, or be enrolled in a PhD program in, electrical engineering with power systems stability, with focus on power systems dynamics/stability
- Demonstrated experience in power system stability analysis, particularly in IBR-dominant grids
- Proven experience in PMU data analysis, including oscillation detection, system stability analysis, and event identification
- Demonstrated knowledge of power system stability metrics such as Equivalent Short-Circuit Ratio (ESCR), system inertia estimation, and oscillation mode identification
- Demonstrated experience in signal processing such as time-domain signal processing ( i.e. filtering, noise reduction, event and disturbance detection etc.) and frequency-domain techniques (i.e. fast Fourier transformation, mode and oscillation analysis etc.)
- Demonstrated proficiency in python programming or other major programming language
- Demonstrated experience in power system simulation software (e.g., MATLAB/SIMULINK/PSCAD)
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to work with large datasets and derive actionable insights
Preferred Qualifications
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Job Application Submission Window
The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.
Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $51,200 - $81,900
NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.
Benefits Summary
Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.
* Based on eligibility rules
Badging Requirement
NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.
Drug Free Workplace
NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.
If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.
Submission Guidelines
Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.
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Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Reasonable Accommodations
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